Workshop

Scientific

cooperation

indicators

and

impact

measures March

16!17"2009

IRD,"FRANCE

The use of indicators in research policy

Daniel Villavicencio (UAM-X)

The

knowledge

society

(economy)• Capabilities of acquisition, stockage, production and

transferring of knowledge• Increasing importance of technological and

organizational innovation in firms and other institutions• Changes in the science–production cycle : a) shorter

time; b) more diversity and more intense linkages of science-industry c) new forms of funding

• New combinations of knowledge (tacit/codified) for innovation

• More knowledge intensive services• Intermediate organizations for knowledge transfer• New social capabilities to take advantage of scientific

knowledge (to solve problems)

The

knowledge

society

(economy)

• Employment in knowledge intensive sectors and increasing importance of these sectors in the economy (emerging sectors)

• Intangible capital (HR investment, professional training, knowledge diffusion, etc.

• New markets based on knowledge: access, costs, incentives for knowledge production, etc.

• Policy: instruments to accelerate knowledge production, absorption and use by society

What

can!we

measure?

– Which data are picked up, how, what for(assessment, public policy, international cooperation,

benchmark, etc.)

– Who produces them (universities, public organizations, enterprises)

– What do they show (outputs vs. dynamics)

– Which methodologies to use?

– What can we compare?

A!problem!for!measurement

Inputs-stocks-outputs(See manuals: Oslo, Frascati, Bogotá, Esocyt, Canberra,

Santiago)– R&D investments– Funds for innovation research & activities– S&T-Hum Ress, training and education– Patents– Publications

What about processes (how to measure them) ?– Learning capabilities (in particular SMEs)– Knowledge networks performance– Incremental innovation (‘inventing around’, technological catching-up,

industrial up-grading, tropicalisation of products…)– Knowledge spill-overs

What we!dont measure…• Tacit!knowledge!flows• The!use!of!traditional!(non!scientific?)!knowledge• Technological!absorption!capabilities,!adaptations• Knowledge!capital!circulation!(research!networks)• Impact!of!STI!policy!on!social!problem!solving!

• Learning!paths• Social!capabilities!for!knowledge!absorption

Tensions

and

challenges

• National dynamics vs international cooperation (objectives, actors, priorities, instruments…)

• Existence of cognitive divides• Actors have different learning capabilities,

while indicators attempt to standardize • Performance: inputs, outputs (processes?)• Tension between knowledge adaptation

and knowledge creation

Towards the knowledge society?

• Social needs: complexity, evolution • Institutional logics: incentives, paths and lock-in

effects• Efficency and impact : evaluation, methodologies,

information platforms• The public policy agenda : what is the role and

place of science, technology and innovation?

Tensions and challenges

dvillavic@correo.xoc.uam.mx